CHENNAI: In the history of Indian cricket, Sunil Gavaskar is the only player to quit the game on his terms. The great man also managed to go out on a high. But many others before and after have not enjoyed these privileges. Safe to say timing an exit has never been a pleasant exercise in our country.
Now, MS Dhoni, who shocked the world by quitting Test cricket midway through the 2014 Test series in Australia, is at a stage in his career where he needs to decide how long he intends to play.
Sources say he wants to play till the next World Cup in England in two years and is taking a series by series view to evaluate his fitness. The 35-year-old is keen to quit the game on a high. But the big question is if he can last that long.
Many former players feel that the most successful Indian captain has it in him to last the course. One factor that is in the wicketkeeper batsman's favour is fitness. Despite being 36, his reflexes are still intact and although his batting has lost a bit of its destructiveness, he can still win a game single-handedly, as he showed against Sunrisers Hyderabad recently.
“MSD is a class act. He is still a valuable player and should play as long as he’s fit. I see no reason why he cannot play till the next World Cup,” said former national selector VB Chandrasekar.
The Thiruvallur Veerans team owner in the TNPL believes that resigning from captaincy in all formats has freed Dhoni’s mind.
“When you’re captain, wickekeeper and finisher, the three roles can suck up energy, as responsibility is high. Quitting captaincy has relieved him of pressure and freed his mind, and he seems to be enjoying his game,” added Chandrasekar.
Against SRH, the Ranchi lad demonstrated his famed finishing skills. “He’s playing brilliantly currently. He should do well in the Champions Trophy, and I wish him good luck for that. From then on, one should see how it goes,” said K Srikkanth, former chairman of the national selection committee.
But a source in the national selection committee says that selectors have not yet thought about building a team for the 2019 World Cup. They also insisted that they have not thought about the role of seniors like Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.
“Our energies are focused on the Champions Trophy, where we’re keen to do well. The World Cup is far away and we’ll take a decision when the time comes,” said the source in the national selection committee.
ashok.v@newindianexpress.com